Islanders News

PITTSBURGH 3, ISLANDERS 2

An early third-period goal by Chris Thorburn on a bank shot was enough for Marc-Andre Fleury, who stopped 14 third-period shots and 33 in the game for a 3-2 Pittsburgh Penguins victory, Tuesday night at the Mellon Arena.

Colby Armstrong put the Penguins up 1-0 on his first goal of the season and his first of two on the night, just 1:34 into the game. Sidney Crosby set up Armstrong on his first shift in four games.

Viktor Kozlov, filling in for the injured Alexei Yashin, knotted the game at one on a perfect feed from Jason Blake. Chris Simon also assisted on Kozlov's fifth goal of the season with 1:18 left in the first period.

The Islanders took a 2-1 lead 4:45 into the second period. Andy Hilbert tipped Alexei Zhitnik's shot before Arron Asham banged home the rebound for his second of the season.

Armstrong scored his second of the game off a feed from Crosby to make it 2-2 with 8:29 left in the second period.

The Penguins scored a lucky goal to make it 3-2. Thorburn banked a puck off DiPietro's skate 36 seconds into the third period.

The Islanders were inches away from tying the game with just over four minutes remaining in the third period, but Nils Ekman swept the puck from the goal line in the nick of time. Fleury was stellar in goal as the Islanders made a late push, but couldn't get one by the 22-year-old netminder.

Five Stars of the Game:1. Colby Armstrong: First two goals of the season2. Marc-Andre Fleury: Held off the late Islanders surge to earn the win 3. Sidney Crosby: Returned to lineup and tallied two assists 4. Viktor Kozlov: Filled in well on the top line and scored a goal5. Andy Hilbert: First point of the season and team-leading eight shots

Stat of the Game: There were no power plays in the third period.

Slapshots: Andy Hilbert's assist was his first point since April 18, 2006...Jason Blake is on a six-game point streak (5g, 4a)...This is the second of four meetings between the Islanders and Penguins over a span of 21 days.